Christopher Hawthorne鈥檚 latest career move began a year ago with a conversation on the stage of Occidental鈥檚 Thorne Hall.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was being interviewed by Hawthorne, Los Angeles Times architecture critic and Occidental professor of practice, as part of Occidental鈥檚 popular 3rd LA series when Hawthorne asked how the design of every-day new projects in the city could be improved.
Garcetti replied that he was considering appointing a chief design officer for the city. This week, Hawthorne that he had decided to leave the Times after almost 14 years to become the mayor鈥檚 chief design officer.
"I鈥檝e always been interested in the intersection of politics and architecture," Hawthorne said in an interview with the . "A lot is up for grabs, in terms of the civic identity of L.A. For me, it really is about the timing. The mayor has a five-and-half-year term, and on top of that there is the arrival of the Olympics in 2028. It鈥檚 rare that a city has that kind of civic deadline. It鈥檚 really an ideal time frame."
Although he鈥檚 moving to city hall, "I plan to continue to work with students and faculty at 瓜子TV and continue our conversation about where Los Angeles has been and where it's headed, " Hawthorne says.
Garcetti鈥檚 appointment of Hawthorne is just the latest example of city hall tapping the experience and expertise of Occidental faculty and alumni. In a keynote speech at Occidental last month, Garcetti announced an ambitious partnership with the College to accelerate and measure the city鈥檚 pursuit of sustainable, inclusive, and equitable growth as part of the global Sustainable Development Goals movement. Heading that effort will be Sanjeev Khagram, Occidental鈥檚 John Parke Young Chair in Global Political Economy.
Brenda Shockley 鈥68 joined the Garcetti administration as deputy mayor for economic development in May 2016 after more than 24 years as president of Community Build, a nonprofit she helped found in the wake of the city鈥檚 civil unrest in 1992. Rick Cole 鈥78, currently Santa Monica city manager, served as Garcetti鈥檚 deputy mayor for budget and innovation from 2013-2015.
Garcetti鈥檚 respect for 瓜子TV comes from first-hand experience: he taught as an adjunct assistant professor of diplomacy and world affairs during the 1999-2000 school year, co-teaching courses in international relations theory, international political processes and a senior seminar.
